Search This Blog

My posts come from my personal daily scripture readings and a part of my personal accountability. If we are going to grow as followers of Christ, we must be in the Word! If you miss these a few days, something has kept me from it; but if they're gone for too many days, call me on the carpet. We need to hold one another accountable. Join me on this journey as our lives are to Reflect the Image-and Jesus IS the image. Peace, Carla Sunberg

Subscribe to this blog

Follow by Email

When’s the Last Time You Got Emotional about the Gospel?

Gal. 3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4 Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. 5 Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Observation:

Throughout this letter we experience the passion of Paul. These were his spiritual children and someone has led them astray. Just as loving parents may become emotional when their children wander off and end up engaging in destructive behavior, so Paul cries out to the Galatians. His heart is broken because he knows what is at stake. The good news of the resurrected Lord had brought these children freedom, but now they were willing to throw all that away because of false teachers. He was grief stricken!

Application:

Voices today are encouraging us to believe that pretty much “anything goes.” Let people believe whatever they want and they will be happy! But the Gospel invitation is one to a transformed and eternal life with the Father. Do we really not care if people miss out on that opportunity?

Again, if we were thinking about our own family members, I would think that we would want them to be a part of what Jesus has to offer! Although, I have been around people who have told me that they have never even considered praying for the salvation of their own children. Really? Have we become so complacent that we no longer have any burden for those who don’t know Christ?

Paul is pretty riled up in this passage of Scripture because the faith of the Galatians is extremely important to him. Our love and concern for others ought to result is us becoming emotional about the gospel as well. At the root of Paul’s emotion was his own personal encounter with Jesus Christ. He had fallen deeply in love with the one who had set him free. He had experienced love, grace and transformation and he wanted others to have the same experience. If we are not emotional about the gospel, then I wonder where we are in our own walk with Christ.

When Jesus gets ahold of us and consumes our lives, then we have a burning passion for him, and for others to know him. Paul becomes an example for us. We are to be emotional about the gospel, having a deep desire for all to be saved! We should be defensive when others try to corrupt peoples’ thoughts, or show them a different gospel. Righteous indignation is sometimes a good thing and should be exercised at the right moment.

Prayer:

Lord, may my passion for you be reflected in my concern for others. Amen.

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Other Apps

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Scripture:
Psalms 127:1
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain. Observation:
There is a foundation to the house of this life, and that must be the Lord. Application:
I think it started this week when we got off the plane in Boise. A flood of memories began to overwhelm me as I reminisced about the way that things used to be. Many years ago, when we were living in Russia, we would come back home to the United States on furlough, and that always meant coming to Boise, Idaho. My parents were living here and had built a home with two guest rooms that we would call “home” for three months. Exiting the security area at the airport, my parents were always there, waiting with expectant smiles, for us to finally arrive. I can see my mom, clapping her hands, with a grin from ear to ear, just waiting to wrap her arms around every one of us. This week, I glanced at the waiting area as we exited the security …

Scripture:Phil. 4:10 I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. 11 Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress. Phil. 4:15 You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone. 16 For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that accumulates to your account. 18 I have been paid in full and have more than …

Scripture:Proverbs 21:17Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want; whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich. Observation:
Some have said that this verse speaks of the dangers of an Epicurean life-style. What does that mean? Generally we have attributed this to the teaching of Epicurus, a philosopher who was born in 341 BC. He encouraged people to find a static state of pleasure where one was satiated — or full. When the pleasures have been completely, or entirely satisfied, then one feels full. Later Epicurean societies adopted a motto: Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo ("I was not; I was; I am not; I do not care”). In contemporary society this phrase has been adopted to be used at humanist funerals, or to be carved as an epitaph on a headstone.
The problem is that they don’t understand what Wisdom was trying to say. Pleasure alone would ultimately leave one wanting. The Epicurean life of rich foods and drink, as well as the investment in oils and cosmetics could not be sustained. T…

I am a woman called to preach the Gospel of Jesus. I am passionate about the deeper walk with Jesus Christ, and the fact that we should be willing to move on to a place where the Lord can help us to be World Changers!